Pacific Books

This is a multimedia production, featuring two compact discs or cassette tapes meant to be played on your car audio system as you tour. The recordings tell five fictional tales-set in the Anza-Borrego Desert, Fort Bragg, Santa Cruz, the Sierra Nevada and the San Joaquin Valley-that make the charming acommpinaments to drives thruogh their respective regions. Along with the cassettes or CD's, the boxed set comes with Golden State Trivia and The Nature of California, a primer to california habitats.

This box-book-audio package tempts everyone who comes into my home, child and adult alike, and in moments they're lost among the tales, the drawings by the author and the authentic knowledge of California's variety of landscape, flora and fauna. Especially enchanting is the lore of what the state was before populations grew and folk history was lost. The stories Phila Rogers tells on the tapes/Cds capture the texture and color of experiences unique to a lifetime spent in different parts of the state. All who read and hear the contents are struck by the wonderful detail and clarity. Best of all, the box is fun, the outside covered in a map of the state. Open the leather loop and you're inside what feels like a present. This magical box was put together with so much devotion and careful detail that it feels like a personal gift. And what a gift to give for Christmas or a birthday. I've never seen anything quite as unique, for all ages, for persons in the state or outside. I pick it up and re-read or listen again to the tapes and I can be swept into the atmosphere Phila Rogers writes about. I'm proud to have California Tales in my library. When people ask where they can buy a copy, I tell them Amazon.com!

I was amazed at how complete this boxed set really was. The books are very informative and well illustrated. We popped in the CD on our way to the Sierra. I learned more about the natural and human history of California in that one trip than I had in all of my years in school.

The seven categories of wellness vacations really helped you think about how to focus your vacation so it can make a difference in your life and possibly the lives of others. Also, it's full of ideas for how to actually make such a vacation happen. Of course, Hawaii seems to lend itself to healing and wellness so what better place to try a wellness vacation?

As a travel journalist and Publisher/Editor of Travel with a Challenge web magazine, I have specialized in researching meaningful "alternative" travel for the past decade, that is, ecological, educational, cultural and volunteer vacations worldwide. As such, I welcome this guidebook which breaks new ground in educationally directing vacationers to health and wellness travel opportunities in the Hawaiian Islands. It is a pathbreaking guide to a theme that is clearly in demand, especially within the growing mature travel audience I largely serve, a travel audience either trying to get well or determined to stay well far into their elder decades. The variety of options is mindboggling, catering to every taste from ultra-conservative to way-out New Age. Hawaii is one of the most popular travel destinations on earth -- this book will help all styles of vacationers discover how to move way beyond Waikiki with existing vacation plans to the Islands, or maybe attract new vacationers there for the first time.

This well-researched book by sisters Laura and Betsy Crites is a welcome addition to the growing health and wellness revolution that is joyfully happening in our beautiful 50th state. In addition to excellent information written by various health care practitioners, it offers clear insight into Hawaiian cultural traditions relating to healing and suggests different types of wellness vacations, such as "Nature as Healer," "Lifestyle Modification," and lots of treatment therapies that can be found on the various islands.
The second two thirds of the book provide the reader with detailed information about each island and what is available there, including, most importantly, listings of places to visit, practitioners of all kinds who are available to augment a wellness vacation, healing accommodations, and much, much more! It is truly a treasure for people who are seeking lifestyle changes, healing from physical and emotional illnesses, and even for those of us who live in Hawaii. We now know who is out there practicing various healing modalities and that we are not alone in our personal quest for healing and for spreading the good word about the wonderful healing resources available in this rapidly-growing area of Hawaiian tourism.

First recommendation of Alan Durning: read the book in a bus. Last recomendation: give the book to the person next to you in the same bus. He has reflexion not only about transportation but also for urban planning, and how to avoid policies that in a middle term affect your transportation.

By far the best indictment of cities built for cars, this pithy, straight-shooting, quick read is full of logical solutions to car addiction. Bristling with facts about the actual cost of cars and car infrastructure, moved along by the success story of Vancouver, B.C.'s West End, suggestions for improving cities livability run the gamut from city planning solutions, to innovative ideas for auto insurance. This book is an indisputable must for city planners, developers, politicians and citizens concerned about the livability of their cities. It's themes are applicable well outside of the Northwest.

This exceptional book makes it enjoyable and quick to understand what's wrong with how we currently design our towns and cities: making them easier to drive through, rather than making them better to actually be in! Durning provides clear examples and suggests concrete steps for making things better, all the while keeping it simple and human, not dry and technical. A must for citizens and local officials interested in addressing traffic problems and building more livable communities. (See also The Geography of Nowhere, by J. H. Kunstler.)

Cass Turnbull is to pruning and informed gardening today what Thalassa Cruso was to the 1970s and 80s - a botanical Julia Child whose depth of knowledge is matched only by her common sense and wit.

In this inexpensive, indispensable book subtitled "What, When, Where & How to Prune for a More Beautiful Garden" Turnbull takes the no nonsense approach to both the inexperienced and highly skilled gardener, and with her straight forward writing explains in easy to understand terms how to make plants, bushes and trees look and feel their best.

One could quibble with the paucity of illustrations, but that may just be part of Turnbulls' technique: if you are serious about learning this art of pruning, then invest the time in the reading. She has a profound respect for plants (she is the founder of PlantAmnesty based in Seattle) and encourages the fearful first-cutter to look, feel and tend to plants and their shaping needs like a caring surgeon.

There are few dos and don'ts that Turnbull doesn't cover in this helpful manual. And in the end she instructs us with such wry wit and goodwill that we feel we've communed with Mother Earth! Grady Harp, January 2005

End the senseless mutilation of trees and shrubs. Clear, concise, and with a sprinkle of good humor to boot. From PlantAmnesty (www.plantamnesty.org) founder Cass Turnbull, this pruning guide is a must for gardeners everywhere!

If you can get a hold of a copy, I also recommend the out-of-print book "The Complete Guide to Landscape Design, Renovation, and Maintenance: A Practical Handbook for the Home Landscape Gardener"

updated 3/21/2006: new editions of both books mentioned in this review are now available.

In my opinion, this is an excellent guide for beginners or experienced pruners, and represents quite a departure from the average pruning book format and formula. Pruning book authors should take heed of the fact that the information in this book is highly USABLE and approachable. Do not be deterred if you don't know who Cass Turnbull is or never heard of Sasquatch Books. This is a little gem that you will miss if you only buy your books at the local chain bookstore.

Cass Turnbull has been pruning and teaching about it for probably 20 years, and the book represents the voice of all that experience and skill. Translated, that means she not only knows how to prune, but she can also teach others to do it. She started Plant Amnesty, a Seattle-based nonprofit devoted to stopping the senseless mutilation through mal-pruning of shrubs and trees. People in the Northwest know her and love her; in my opinion, she deserves to become well known in the rest of the country.

Cass provides lots of details but they are very easy to understand. The book contains thorough instructions (several PAGES each) on pruning a commonly-used landscaping shrubs and vines. See the book's table of contents to find out if the plants you want to prune are included.

I think the book's subtitle should be "Pruning for the Real World." I find that the key impressive feature of this book is that it integrates the theoretical "selective heading cut" and "thinning cut" type info with the real-life experience of crawling around in shrubs and deciding what to cut. In the real world, shrubs that should never be sheared are cut into geometric forms regularly, or, people get busy and neglect their shrubs and then try to figure out what to do about them.. In the real world, owners of such shrubs often don't know how to deal with the result. In the real world people make pruning errors and don't know how to fix them. Or, even though you understand how to make the cuts, you don't understand WHAT to cut and why for aesthetic improvement. The book addresses those situations, and explains how to undo pruning messes or gradually rejuvenate overgrown shrubs. The concept of the pruning budget - how much you can prune without stimulating ugly and fast regrowth -- is explained and defined for many of the shrubs in the book.

By the way, Cass also has a sense of humor which is amply displayed in the text and the illustrations. This subject doesn't have to be dry and boring!

The biggest mystery for me of pruning an unknown shrub is "How will it respond?" It's like a dark tunnel with no light at the end when you don't know from firsthand experience what will happen when you cut a branch off. Quirks of individual shrubs are explained (squiggly regrowth on rhododendrons, the tendency of dogwood and Viburnum to sucker/water sprout very easily). Problems you will encounter and decisions you will have to make are covered, and improving the way a shrub looks without drastically cutting it back are explained.

I find myself reading and re-reading the information-packed sections to glean more information. I think the unique thing about this book is that you gain something of the many years of Cass's experience rather than a brief formula. Basic information plus more subtle points are included. So many war stories are included that I found it quickly boosted my judgment and confidence in pruning.

In future editions, I would like to see an even more detailed section on tools with even more about important features and maintenance of more saws, pruners, shears and loppers. Cass also gives burning bush (Euonymus alata) high marks, I disagree, since it is proving to be very invasive in the Northeast and is ruining some of our lovely forests, I would like to see it on the "Not recommended - one pruning cut at the base" list. On topics that have been covered extensively and that are said to have many subtleties, such as rose or Clematis pruning, Cass simplifies rather than complicates, and some may desire more details than are provided. Minor quibbles.

I don't think anyone who buys this book will be sorry. If you are also pruning many unusual shrubs, buy an additional "1001 shrubs" type of pruning book as an adjunct. This one will build your pruning prowess fast; the other will give you little tips on specific plants that will make much better sense once you've read and used Cass Turnbull's Guide to Pruning. See the online table of contents for the trees and shrubs that are covered. Although this book is published by a Northwest US regional publisher, most of the plants covered in the book are grown also in the Northeast (and the book is actually intended to be useful all over the US). In all, a very usable and readable book at a very reasonable price.

Bobbie Hasselbring's book is the ultimate guide to fine chocolate around the Pacific Northwest. For all of us who trek around the area, we have much to look forward to, chocolately speaking. I found listings for restaurants, bakeries, and candy stores which I hadn't known of. Now, thanks to the Chocolate Lover's Guide, business travel can become travel for pleasure!

In addition to these places I had not know of, I had enjoyed chocolate at several of the places listed, and find this book to be credible and reliable.

I was thrilled to find this book before Christmas. I gave this book, along with a box of Fran's Chocolates (in Seattle), to a friend who was ecstatic. I was, too, because I sampled several chocolates at Fran's while buying the gift.

Bobbie Hasselbring has brought something new and wonderful to the table in the world of travel guides. Not only does her book "The Chocolate Lover's Guide to the Pacific Northwest" feature terrific places to stay, but she also rates the best chocolate desserts, candy, baked goods, and frozen treats in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. My mouth started watering almost as soon as I picked it up. The author has listed "Chocolate Happenings" which are events that focus on chocolate, plus chocolate facts, stories profiles and tips. I love this book!

The Chocolate Lover's Guide is crammed with information the traveler and chocolate lover needs--where to stay, where to eat, where to find the best brownies and truffles. Plus it includes some great recipes. The author has a deft, lighthearted touch that makes you want to keep on reading. It's like nibbling on really good fudge, you can't stop with just a taste. And it's a perfect gift. >

As the head teacher of a school for ADD/ADHD boys this book has served as the most valuable tool that I currently use. Many of our boys have been labeled ADD but in reality have never been made to persevere through challenges, or have never been made to complete a task with diligence. This book not only discusses practical ways to help all students of education, but it discusses the guiding principles behind all true education. America will never find the solution to its problems with education as long as its view of education is limited only to an intellectual study of science, math, verbal skills, and reasoning skills. As quoted in EDUACTION pg. 13, "Our ideas of education take too narrow and too low a range...It has to do with the whole being, and with the whole period of existence possible to man. IT is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers."

The book Education broadened my vision of what true education is really about.

This book has been in my library for years - from when I was a student in high school. Later when I had children, it became yet more important to me in developing guiding principles for their educational process.

I have found that I use Education as the standard to keep from wandering off track with trendy theories, or to lose sight of what true education is meant to be.

For parents, for expecting parents, for teachers and educators, for home schoolers - don't miss reading this book!

This is the book to read if you want a broad, Bible-based view of education. For example, the first paragraph reads:

"Our ideas of education take too narrow and too low a range. There is need of a broader scope, a higher aim. True education means more than the pursual of a certain course of study. It means more than a preparation for the life that now is. It has to do with the whole being, and with the whole period of existence possible to man. It is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers. It prepares the student for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider service in the world to come. "

There is much in this book for everyone who would like to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually.

I bought this little book years ago from an used book store; it was worn and falling apart. I read it so many times, I added to it's ultimate demise. The binding finally fell apart and the pages were falling out...so it's time to get another copy, (hopefully one that's more intact). Great book!

This book has been a great help to me in getting more out of the parables of Jesus. The chapter on the parable of the Talents is worth far more than the price of the book.

One of Ellen White's great small books, she begins by establishing the reason for Jesus' use of parables and relates that back to our time. The author then proceeds to examine many ofthe famous parables in the gospels. The approach focuses on expanding and explaining the story itself and then proceeds to explain the spiritual significance. the language is simple and the writing flows easily. Clearly the work of an insipred person.

CITY SMART: PORTLAND is a great guide to the Portland, OR, metro area, with lengthy discussions on all the culture, recreation, dining, shopping, and other stuff you'll need to know while visiting there. However, the radio station listing comes up very short, failing to include rock stations KUFO, KRVO, KINK, and KGON. Other than that, though, this book is wonderful, so don't pass it up.

I loved it. It was funny and witty and interesting. For the person moving to Portland, this book is for you. It outlines the areas where one should and should not live. It give detailed and interesting reviews of everything from children's parks to gay bars. It illustrated the history of Portland perfectly and was a hoot to boot. Five stars!

When you browse through the US Travel books for something on Oregon or Portland, this is the one book that you can find that goes beyond the cool places, the neat restaurants and the best deals in hotels. It's comprehensive in terms of including information that a person considering the move to the city will find extremely useful! Thanks, City Smart!

This is the greatest guide book to Smith Rock State Park ever. It has it all. That is all there is to it. This is the perfect guide to the perfect climbing area.

Alan Watts did an excellent job in putting together this guide. The topos and maps are high quality, the photos are excellent and it's easy to navigate. But what really sets this guide apart from many others is the quality of the historical perspective and the overall readability of the text. Watts played an important part in the development of sport climbing in the US and thus was a controversial figure for years. His treatment of those tumultious times is worth the cost of the guide.

One of the best guidebooks out there. The topos and pictures are clear and the descriptions are detailed. The author has probably done all the climbs so he should know. The topos even give specific gear needed at certain places on the climb. Where the author's climbing style lays is obvious, he seems to dislike anything with a chimney. Quality of routes are measured by a 4 star system. The author uses R and X rating. This guide has everything you could ask for. If you only want one guide to the area, this is it.

Latino Voices in the Pacific Northwest is a collection of immigrant stories written as loosely translated spoken monologues, each written from the perspective of recent Spanish-speaking immigrants to the Pacific Northwest, with stories based in the healthcare setting, as well as at work and at home. The book speaks to the experiences of many immigrants and travelers across cultural boundaries. After reading this book time and time again, I still find myself laughing aloud or holding back the tears as different stories move me, which is especially impressive and touching as I wrote the book myself.

Wonderful book, reading it has been "deja vu" page after page. In my opinion, this book should be mandatory for all of those who work with the hispanic community in the medical as well as the legal arena in the United States. Like the author said: it makes you laugh out loud on one page, and moves you to tears the next. I'm seriously thinking on buying at least ten books just to have my community clinic co-workers read it!

A wonderful book. Sensitive and though-provoking. I look forward to more by this talented author!